Albus Dumbledore's portrait

"There are plenty of eye-witness accounts. Just because you're so narrow-minded you need to have everything shoved under your nose before you–"

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The Portrait of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, hanging in Hogwarts school

History

Following his appointment as Headmaster of Hogwarts in 1956, a portrait of Albus Dumbledore was painted and placed in the Headmaster portraits' cupboard where the good Professor would visit it on occasions and teach it to talk and behave like himself. Following his untimely demise, however, the portrait was found hanging behind the chair of the Headmaster's desk, with its occupant asleep. It is not a completely accurate copy of Dumbledore, however, only what Hogwarts knew of him over the years.

After the death of the Dark Lord and the defeat and scattering of his forces, Harry Potter and his friends made their way to the Headmaster's office, and received tumultuous applause from the other Headmasters. Here, Harry had a brief discussion with the portrait about his plans for the Elder Wand, and his decision to leave the Resurrection Stone lost, which Dumbledore's portrait approved of.

As Severus Snape's portrait was later hung, it can be assumed that Dumbledore's portrait was later moved down the line to make way for Snape's portrait to hang behind the desk.

Behind the scenes

The virtual tour of the Headmaster's office in Disc 2 of the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets reveals two portraits of Dumbledore (as portrayed by Richard Harris) hanging in the office, one hanging on the wall among the other portraits, and another in the sitting room behind the desk. As Dumbledore was still alive at the time of the events of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, this contradicts author J. K. Rowling's statement that the portraits in the Headmaster's Office only depict deceased individuals. However, it can be assumed that neither of these portraits of Dumbledore are the "official" portrait, which was added after Dumbledore's death, and that they are in the office purely as decorations (perhaps as a way of symbolising Dumbledore's occupation of the office).